研究期間：10101~10112;Most, and likely all, stars form out of collapsing molecular clouds in clustered environments. It has been known that low-mass stars outnumber massive stars, described as the initial mass function (IMF), in stellar systems from small star groups to clusters, to galaxies. The origin of a seemingly universal IMF is still largely unknown. Generally, massive stars are seen to concentrate near the center of a young star cluster, whereas lower-mass stars disperse in a larger volume. This effect of mass segregation is thought due partly to the original structure in the parental cloud and partly to the subsequent gravitational dynamics between member stars. We propose to strengthen the ongoing collaboration between the Taiwanese and Indian groups to conduct a systematic investigation of star clusters. Specifically, we will (1) conduct a search for uncharted star clusters by digital sky survey data such as 2MASS and Pan-STARRS. Low-mass members in known clusters will be identified. The comprehensive sample of Galactic open clusters will be a valuable tool not only for cluster evolution (mass segregation, stellar evaporation), but also for probing the formation and evolution of Galactic disk, (2) study a sample of open clusters in different Galactic environments to derive their IMFs, effect of mass segregation, and in particular, how massive stars influence the molecular clouds and induce the formation of nextgeneration stars.
